Скачать с ютуб Curiosities of Staffordshire - The Mudleys on Stone Field, The Jacobite Rebellion in Staffordshire в хорошем качестве

Curiosities of Staffordshire - The Mudleys on Stone Field, The Jacobite Rebellion in Staffordshire

In 1745 this little piece of green land just outside of Stone, Staffordshire turned into a hastily constructed battle ground complete with fortifications and cannon mounds in order to oppose the advancing army of Bonnie Prince Charlie. The Duke of Cumberland's army had been stationed up in the peak district in anticipation of an advance on Derby but the harsh winter made this impractical for both the advancing Jacobites and the defenders. This made Stone a strategic location as it was in the more sheltered lowlands and its proximity to Wales made it a tempting target as the Welsh were potential allies of the Jacobite cause. With the British army at home severely understrength owing to the ongoing War of the Austrian Succession, the Bonnie Prince sought to strike with the element of surprise in an attempt to advance quickly to London and seize the throne. Having won several relatively easy victories so far and added a number of supporters to his ranks, his next challenge was to cross the high ground of the Peak District and secure camp before winter could fully set in. Cumberland's army camped at Stone and lay ready to intercept the advancing Jacobites outside the town but, in the end, it was an anti-climax as Bonnie Prince Charlie and his commanders thought better of advancing further south as the harsh reality set in that the coming battles would be far too time consuming and costly for his army. With the British army steadily returning home from its actions abroad to address the Jacobite threat, he could not afford any delays or loss of numbers. The artillery mounds are what bring us to the site today and are all that remains of this little known event in the history of Staffordshire when the small market town of Stone nearly became embroiled in the Jacobite Rebellion and the defence of the realm.